My daughter has just been offered a place in residence. Yahoo! The spot offered is a Cluster unit. This contains four bedrooms, a shared kitchen, shared living room, shower and washrooms. Yes she will be able to cook her own meals but I am concerned about how to negotiate with and educate the other three students and any friends they would invite into the space. Does anyone have experience navigating through this?
We have also looked at and are continuing to look into off campus housing too. Feedback appreciated.

I recently stayed at the Algonquin dorms after having to leave me apartment for a few days and was surprised to learn that they had a kitchenette, two rooms with a double bed in each, a personal bathroom, and were discounted for alumni and this would apply to any other college dorm I would stay at across Canada. They also serve breakfast and NO peanut better was available. They were well prepared with ingredient lists as a lot of school groups stay in post secondary dorms during the spring on their yearend trips. The cost is about $110/night or $65 if you are a graduate of a Canadian college; the same goes with University grads and University dorms.

I never thought of staying in a college or university dorm while travelling. But this is a cheaper and with the availability of fridge and microwave as well as the kitchen area safer way to go. If I get a chance to travel I will definitely consider this route.

Thanks Susan. We also have stayed in the university housing while we were searching for off campus housing. What is different about living in residence from staying with your family or friends in the same space is that you are forced to live with strangers who may or may not appreciate your need to avoid contact with your allergen. The unknown is the part that concerns me. In order for her to go away to university she will need to have a safe environment. On campus eliminates needing to travel to and from campus. It will also save several thousand dollars. We are happy to have the option that allows her to cook her own food. The who will she share the kitchen with and what will they bring in is the disconcerting issue.
Does anyone have any recent experience with residence at the University of Victoria?

Students with DisabilitiesIf you are accepted into residence based on the University’s first year guarantee or through the lottery process, Residence Services will work with you to determine suitable accommodation.

If you have a documented disability that would inform the style of accommodation assigned, briefly describe it in the “Additional Information” section of the Residence application form. Please explain what measures you currently take at your own living environment (home, apartment) that addresses your challenges.

Please note that the University of Victoria reserves a limited number of rooms for students with disabilities that are allocated outside of the lottery system. In order to be recommended for priority access to these rooms, you must have documented disability-related needs that cannot be met in off-campus housing. The presence of a disability is insufficient to qualify for priority placement. Priority access is only considered in exceptional circumstances. In order to be considered for priority access, please contact the Manager of Residence Life and Education in order to determine eligibility.

You will be contacted by Residence Services to review your accommodation needs, and will be required to submit appropriate medical documentation. This documentation may be shared with the Resource Centre for Students with Disabilities (RCSD) if Residence Services requires assistance in confirming your needs or determining appropriate accommodations.

Please note that the RCSD only makes recommendations to Residence Services regarding the functional limitations of a student’s documented disability. The RCSD may confirm the student’s disability and advise regarding the type of barriers that may result for that person. The RCSD may also assist in determining a student’s eligibility to receive accommodations based on consideration of documentation from a qualified professional that states what the housing need is and why the requested room in residence is the only way to meet the student’s housing needs.

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Thank you for your feedback. Second year students and transfer students must have their names drawn through a lottery in order to receive an offer of residence. Many universities are now guaranteeing residence to first-year students.

We are told that the cluster unit with a shared kitchen living room and bathrooms for 4 students would be occupied by students who also have allergies. We don't know what the other allergies would be or what the other students would be like.

In order for all students to be treated with respect for their allergies all allergens should not come into the shared unit. If each student has a completely different list of allergens there may be very little they can bring in to the shared area.
Would you place your anaphylactic son/daughter in this situation?

This sounds more like segregation than inclusion. As you have pointed out several students with different multiple allergies could mean a further dietary restriction. Unless I could be assured that my child was not further restricted and that these other students comfort level was equal to ours...I would not be comfortable.

It looks like the school is placing all of the responsibility on first year students of which they know little.

No, absolutely not from the parent of an almost adult egg allergic (like I have a say ) but I think she would agree. Maybe to visit, but not to live.

This is coming our way soon as well....I am glad we moved closer to a large city a few years ago....more options and we can do things at our la-de-da pace.....also a good thing that we have to wait for the youngun' (as the elder calls him ) to grow up and out and someone's GOT to take the dog.

If they were to ban all of the food allergens then my daughter would be disliked quickly since she has over 25! The tree nuts are relatively easy - it's all the others that are tougher and shouldnt' be banned regardless as cross-contamination is not a concern with the other allergens (definitely no cross-contam with the tree nuts!).

Each person's comfort level with their allergies is so different as well as severity. What if you get the "I'm allergic but eat it sometimes because it just makes my lips tingle." rooming with the "No label, no thank you; just had ambulance last week from accidental trace of the allergen."

_________________me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

Thank you for the imput. To clarify my daughter is not in first year but second and wanting to transfer to UVic. They do have fantastic English courses. We started making requests for housing in January when the website still said first come. This was changed to a lottery so that all first year students could get into residence if they wanted it.
There was an article in Allergic Living praising UVic for offering cluster housing to first year allergic students so that they could prepare their own food. This only works if all people in the cluster are on board and willing to be respectful of the allergic students need to avoid contact with their allergen. We have been told that all the students who would share the cluster with my daughter would have food allergies. We have asked what other allergies these would be as WE think the only way for this scenario to be safe is for all concerned including visitors not to bring the allergens into the living space.
Peanuts and nuts need to be avoided in our case but what would they eat if the other three also have to avoid eggs, dairy, soy, fish? Hopefully we will hear back soon.

We requested a separate suite but so far this has not been offered. Crossing fingers.

We've been told that the other students sharing a cluster would have similar allergies and that they would be more understanding . I am really uncomfortable with this scenario. We still do not know what other allergies the other students would have and the students may be replaced by others. We have a week to decide. We have to pay to keep a spot or lose residence.

You need to listen to your gut. You know your child best. How far away are you? How responsible is your child? How responsible are other students? How easy is it to find safe foods near/on campus? If you went with this room assignment, what would the ground rules have to be? I imagine the other parents/students are just as concerned...if not, you definately don't want them in the apartment!

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